I have a simple question. while we submit our app to IOS App store, iTunesConnect has a section for Application Support URL. Is it must to create a URL page ( page must exist?) as now I just pointed the url to a directory under my website such as http://example.com/directory (this is just an example of url)
What if there is no content in that page? Will Apple reject my app? Should I create an html page about my application?
Thanks a lot for your time.
Yes, you have to provide a URL as it complains that the field is required if you leave it empty.
I do not think they will reject it but for the users' sake I would create a simple website maybe containing your email address so they can actually use the Application Support feature.
Hope that helps :)
Related
I want to implement deferred deep linking in my iOS app as a means of tracking referrals. When a user of my app wants to refer a friend, I'll generate a URL that has a unique referral code. When the other person receives the link and opens it, I want it to take them to my app's page in the App Store. Then if they install my app, when it first opens, I need a way for it to read the referral code from the original URL.
I've found may pages about deferred deep linking on the web but none that really explain how to do it. Instead, these pages all end up telling you to install some third-party code or use some commercial service. This isn't what I'm after. I want to learn how to do this myself.
There are lots of old pages out there that recommend convoluted and error-prone solutions, like tracking the user's IP address, putting the referral code into the clipboard, or somehow obtaining it from a cookie in a web view. I don't think these are the correct solutions to be using in 2022.
If anyone can recommend the appropriate resource, I'd appreciate it.
If it is the case that Apple simply doesn't want us to do this and doesn't provide any support for it, then I'd like to know that too. I was under the impression that they did, but maybe I'm wrong.
Thanks,
Frank
Apple's Universal Links allow for this (would understand the difference between the typical URL Scheme and Universal Links as threshold). This assumes you're willing to do some lifting server-side along with other hurdles on the iOS side, largely administrative.
A benefit of Universal Links and the server-side work is that you're provided a fallback webpage if a user does not have the app installed. Since the app should open if downloaded, you could typically just redirect to the app store from this URL. In this case, though, before any redirects, you could execute an operation to decode the unique params passed in the URL and persist it in a remote data store. The data encoded needs to be required and verifiably unique during your registration -- email seems ideal.
If that's feasible, your standard registration flow could require email verification with a link to the app as a mandatory entry point (think slack magic link). When the user submits his/her email to verify, you could first check that email against your data store to see if it maps to any previously decoded referrals saved from the flow above. If so, you could generate a unique link for this email to your app with params that will direct the deferred/deep link.
The good news is, I found a solution. I could construct a web page that redirects the user to the app store, but before doing so, copies some text into their clipboard (without telling them or asking them to do anything). Then later if they install my app I can get the text by pasting from the clipboard. I tested this idea and it works.
The bad news is, starting with iOS 16, Apple now asks you for permission to paste. So if you try to do this, your user will launch your app and immediately get promoted with a message asking them to allow a paste from Safari. I expect most users will deny the request and just the fact that they saw it will erode their trust in the app (I know I wouldn't trust an app that tried consume my clipboard without a direct command from me).
I'm in the process of updating my iOS app, and one feature that I'd love to add would be the ability to create links (to send via email, or for social media) that would allow users who have downloaded the app to be taken to a certain section of the app, and users who haven't to be taken to the app store page for my app. I also want it to take desktop users to the itunes page for my app.
Now, I've been looking into url schemes as I think this is the way forward, and have managed to create a custom url scheme that will indeed take users to different parts of my app. However, I'm struggling to find a way to check if the app has been installed, and what device the user is on etc.
Would I need to use a server to redirect them to the correct place?
Thanks!
I found out the best way to do it is with universal links, introduced in iOS 9.
https://blog.branch.io/how-to-setup-universal-links-to-deep-link-on-apple-ios-9/
I followed iOS9 app links guide (here) and app links are working fine
i.e. Whenever i access http://www.domain-name.com/some_page it redirects to my application and handles it properly.
But if i shorten the exactly same URL then it launches Safari and fails to launch the application. am i missing some configuration?
No, unfortunately you cannot use URL shorteners or the the URL will no longer be recognized by iOS as a Universal Link. We at Branch (who wrote the blog you reference) have seen this a number of times in troubleshooting with our partners.
If you use an email provider that automatically shortens URLs, you'll need to disable this if you want links to work as Universal Links.
So asking this because I have not found a version of this in one place that describes the outcome, or I don't know what to search for.
Here is the question. I have a app that I wrote and incorporated a URL scheme, let's say it's named ABC, so the url scheme would be:
ABC:/this/is/the/data
So, I want to send out a email to folks that would open my app, so the link is pretty straight forward. But, what if I want them to goto the website in the case they don't have my app, way www.abc.com/this/is/the/data. Is there a way to code my email so that both are possible? (That if the app is present it opens, if not the site opens?)
Thanks in advance!
In an email there is not a way to do it. My approach would be to send them to your website and in your website page have the iOS smart banner for your app. This will give them the option to open the app or download the application.
<meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=myAppStoreID, affiliate-data=myAffiliateData, app-argument=myURL">
The other approach would be to include 2 links in your email and explain that if you have the app to click the specific link. If not then click the website link.
Is support url necessary for app submission in the Appstore? I am registered as an individual developer and i don't have a web page for support url. What can i do?
The support url is now required. You can make a free account at a site like:
http://www.wordpress.com/
or similar.
I would create a free page at github pages. Simple and straight forward. If you need something simple it is the perfect choice.
Apple provides a bit more info in their help docs:
The support website you plan to provide for users who have questions
regarding the app. The support URL must lead to actual contact
information so that users can reach you regarding app issues, general
feedback, and feature enhancement requests. Specify entire URL,
including the protocol, as in http://support.example.com.
Only customers who purchase the app can see the Support URL on the App
Store.
This property is required and can be localized.
https://help.apple.com/app-store-connect/#/devf29afbb74
I think you will be fine, I had the same problem like this. I have submitted the app without the link and it got accepted and after that i have edited the URL.